Sunday, December 22, 2013

Jose
Mauricio Pardo drives his bamboo vehicle through the streets of Bogota,
Colombia on September 28, 2012. The vehicle, composed almost entirely
of bamboo, was designed by Pardo, a Colombian plastic artist.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Alright,
many guesses, and some figured out it was a 1949 Ford, so here is the
custom '49 Ford we were showing you in the previous two photos, it is
known as “The Foose Ford.”

The original design for this
“shoebox” Ford was published by noted custom car and Hot Wheels designer
Harry Bentley Bradley, creator of the infamous Deora, in a 1983 edition
of Street Rodder magazine. They caught the eye of
Donn Lowe, who began in 1996 to build the car that Bradley had dreamed.
The project was eventually sold to Jack Barnard and completed by the
legendary Sam Foose who is the Father of Chip Foose, giving rise to the
name of “The Foose Ford,” by which the car has been known ever since.

Under the hood is a 302-cubic inch GT40 crate engine from Ford
Motorsports with a 1950s Cadillac-style air cleaner and Edelbrock
intake, as well as Ford Racing headers. The frame incorporates a 1972
Nova front clip with Fat Man control arms and a stout Ford nine-inch
rear assembly with 3.00:1 gears. The result is a car with modern
engineering under classic design, which has been featured on the cover
of the February 1999 issue of Rod & Custom magazine, and in 2002, it
was selected to take part in the Ford Motor Company display at the
world-renowned Woodward Dream Cruise.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Jay Leno

Leno
prefers the classics - like this 1932 Duesenberg SJ - to the vintage
Ferraris and Lamborghinis that fetch million-dollar prices at auction.
"It didn't start out to be a collection," he says. "I just bought stuff
that I liked."

I like cars that are interesting," Leno says. "Not all rare cars are
expensive. Not all expensive cars are rare. But it's fun to be able to
save them, and there are a few people around who appreciate that kind of
thing."

A 1965 Ford GT 350, a 427 Cobra, a 2005 Ford GT, and a 1989 Ford Festiva ("heavily modified," Jay says proudly).
From left: A 1953 Hudson Hornet coupe, a 1951 Hudson Hornet, and a 1955 Buick Roadmaster.
No expense is spared to perfect the collection, Leno says. "I don't put a
value on it. It's invaluable, and I maintain it as such."
"It's just a lot of work, a lot of tinkering," Leno says. "There's
always something to do, so that's why they're great fun." This car is a
1950 Hispano-Suiza.
"A lot of stuff I have here, it's from guys like me: guys without kids,"
Leno says. "This is their baby." From left: A modified Jaguar XKE, a
1954 Jaguar XKE 120M coupe, a 1954 Jaguar XKE 120 Roadster, a 1960
Triumph TR3, and a 1971 MG Midget.
"Vintage cars tend to make people happy," Leno says. "They smile. They wave. Kids point."
Front: A 1906 Stanley Steamer Vanderbilt Cup Racer.
A 1906 Advance tractor.

By now details surrounding the death of Fast and Furious star Paul Walker last week in a Los Angeles car crash are well-known.

But what the speed freaks
and pro drivers have known for years is that the 2005 Porsche Carrera
GT that killed Walker is notoriously difficult to drive—“dangerous”
even, according to some higher-ups who work at the German automaker.

It’s “the first car in my life that I drive and I feel scared,” world rally champion and Porsche test driver Walter Rohrl told Drive
magazine just before it went on sale in 2003. The concept had been
unveiled at the Paris motor show in 2000 but was delayed because Rohrl,
one of Porsche’s most experienced drivers, said its then-current power
level was unmanageable for most ordinary drivers.
“I came back into the pits and I was white,” Rohrl said after one particularly harrowing lap on a rain-wet track.

Even when Porsche released the Carrera GT, it proved a challenging drive. Jay Leno–an acclaimed driver and expert mechanic who frequents racetracks and road rallies nationwide–spun out of control in
a Carrera GT on the track at Talladega in 2005, no small thing for such
an experienced driver. Leno was unavailable for comment.

A spokesman for Porsche declined to comment on the specifics of
Walker’s death and on whether mechanical or driver error caused the
crash. (There was another fatal Carrera GT crash at California Speedway
in 2006. That case was settled out of court
for $4.5 million, but it served to generate discussion that blamed
Porsche for designing an especially lethal vehicle because the car does
not offer electronic stability control.)

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident,” the spokesman said,
noting that no Porsche employee was in the car or near it at the time of
the accident. “We will cooperate fully with any investigation and any
authorities who contact us.”

According to preliminary reports,
Walker’s longtime friend and financial manager, Roger Rodas, was at the
wheel when he apparently lost control and hit a tree with the car,
which then set on fire. The crash happened at the end of a charity event
organized by Rodas’s automotive tuning and racing company, Always
Evolving.

Rodas reportedly acquired the red Porsche last spring and often took
it to car shows. He had good reason to show it off: Porsche made the
Carrera GT to rival the multi-million-dollar Ferrari Enzo for the title
of the world’s fastest car. The V10 supercar produced 610 horsepower and
cost $450,000 new. Fewer than 1,300 of them were made.

All
eight cars in British connoisseur Dick Skipworth's collection from the
legendary Scottish team that won two consecutive Le Mans 24-Hour races
in 1956 and 1957, sold at Bonhams today (1 December) for record prices.Just as they did in the 1950s, four of the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars raced ahead of their rivals.The
team's 1952 Jaguar C-Type sold for no less than £2,900,000, amid
auction-room applause, while their 1956 Jaguar 'Shortnose' D-Type sold
for £2,600,000. Both went to a buyer in the United States.Meanwhile, the packed saleroom resounded to further applause as the Collection's Jaguar XK120 Roadster made a record £707,000.Million-pound mark-up for two-stroke truckHowever,
it was the Ecurie Ecosse three-car Transporter, their unique 1960
Commer TS3 immortalized for many by the Corgi toy, which exceeded all
expectations as it was sold to the same US buyer for £1,800,000 after a
telephone bidding war that lasted almost 20 minutes.The
800-strong crowd in Bonhams' £30-million New Bond Street headquarters –
opened by London Mayor Boris Johnson on October 24 - erupted as
auctioneer Robert Brooks' hammer sealed this sale of the most valuable
historic commercial vehicle ever sold at auction.Following
the Ecurie Ecosse Collection's sale excitement, the spotlight turned to
Ringo Starr's Facel Vega, which sold for £337,500 while seven-time
Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher's Benetton-Cosworth Ford
B194 went to a German museum in Boeblingen for £617,500, bringing the
auction total to £16,861,630.James Knight, Bonhams' Group
Motoring Director, said: 'We always knew that today's Sale had the
potential to be a roaring success, but nobody quite anticipated the
incredible atmosphere in the saleroom that saw so many truly historic
cars go for such astounding prices.'The Jaguars especially
were exceptionally popular, and I am delighted that the Transporter
will still be carrying two of its original Ecurie Ecosse racing cars.'

The American Motor Car Company opened its
showroom doors in 1905 with several different models on offer. The
Underslung, with an innovative chassis riding below the axles as
designed by Fred Tone and Harry Stutz, was introduced in 1907. By 1911
the company offered only the Underslung-type chassis and utilized the
team as a model name with seven different body and engine
configurations.

The American Underslung rode on huge 40-inch wheels,
giving it a sporty appearance. And with its engine and transmission -
and center of gravity - quite close to the ground, the cars handle
beautifully. By 1913 the company's marketing slogan was 'The Car for the
Discriminating Few,' and sadly that proved rather too true as there
were few customers for it. Although new models were introduced for 1914,
including this very rare Model 642, the company was in financial
trouble and closed its doors after only nine years of building
motorcars.

What It Is:The
classic all-American four-seat performance coupe. A convertible is also
a certainty. The sixth-generation model will draw inspiration from the
Euro-styled second-gen Camaro RS (1970–1981).

Why It Matters:Today's
model has thrived as a roomier, more affordable alternative to the
Corvette, and as a source of pride to the haters of Ford, Dodge, and
imported rear-drive coupes.

Buick
wasn't always synonymous with retirement and long naps. During the dark
days of the mid-1980s, Buick was GM's sunny spot for quick cars, racing
prowess, and advanced technology such as in-car cell phones and touch
screens. To turn fundamentally bad V-6s into viable V-8 alternatives,
Buick engineers developed sequential electronic fuel injection,
distributor-less ignition, and ceramic-impeller-wheel turbos.

Feeling
its oats in 1984, Buick created "We Brake for Corvettes" bumper
stickers celebrating an epic intramural victory: Buick's Regal Grand
National could outgun Chevy's two-seater in the quarter-mile. In 1985,
Indy cars powered by turbocharged Buick V-6s qualified 1-2 at the
Brickyard. To seal the deal, Buick built a run of 1987-model
turbocharged and intercooled GNXs; in our May 1987 issue, one proved
capable of a 4.7-second 0-to-60-mph sprint and ran the quarter-mile in
13.5 seconds at 102 mph. (C/D's test results for a 1988 Corvette: zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 95 mph.)

To
put an end to the long, dull interlude that followed that era, Buick is
resuscitating its two revered nameplates. The 2015 Grand National and
GNX sedans will ride on GM's new rear-drive Alpha platform, which was
introduced with the Cadillac ATS and is earmarked for the sixth-generation Camaro and the third-generation Cadillac CTS.

Like
the ATS, Buick's GN will offer the choice of a turbocharged 2.0-liter
four (currently rated at 272 horsepower) or a 3.6-liter V-6 that makes
321 horses in the ATS. The wicked GNX, available only in the official
shade of evil (black), will be powered by a twin-turbo ­3.6-liter V-6
that should be good for 400 horsepower. The transmission roster will
include manuals for the turbo engines and automatics across the board.
The eight-speed Hydra-Matic due in 2014 should serve nicely here.

Even
without the V-8 engines that are reserved for Camaros and Cadillacs,
these Buick sports sedans should be capable of serious performance. By
that we mean tire smoke on demand, near-neutral throttle-down handling,
and acceleration figures that raise eyebrows in Bavaria. In the likely
event Buick throws all-wheel drive into the mix, its new warriors will
take the fight to Audi.

Family dynasties in the GM org chart
reveal why Buick's hot rods easily won approval: Lloyd Reuss was Buick's
general manager in the early 1980s when the Grand National and GNX
seeds were planted. His son, Mark Reuss, a teenager back when Buicks
ruled, is now the current president of GM North America. That infusion
of fresh Reuss blood is bound to revive the brand's performance arm.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Vital Stats

Engine:

7.0L V8

Power:

545 HP / 530 LB-FT

Transmission:

5-Speed Manual

0-60 Time:

3.7 Seconds

Drivetrain:

Rear-Wheel Drive

Curb Weight:

3,420 LBS

Seating:

2

Base Price:

$119,000

If you've got an itch for a classic Mustang Fastback, you may want to give Classic Recreations a call. The Oklahoma-based company, which has made a name for itself building award-winning muscle cars licensed by Shelby,
recently handed me the keys to its latest creation – a prototype 1966
Shelby GT350CR (serial number SCR350-00P) with a nitrous-injected
427-cubic-inch small-block Ford Racing engine sending power to its rear
wheels through a Tremec five-speed manual gearbox. Yeah, it's the sort
of machinery that whets my appetite.

As you might suspect by
looking at the company's name, the team starts with a standard stock
1966 Mustang Fastback and then tears it down to the chassis in
preparation for a full rebuild into what they call a Shelby GT350CR.
This particular restoration includes the fitment of the aforementioned
7.0-liter V8 with BBK Long Tube ceramic-coated headers, Magnaflow
mufflers, coil-over suspension and rack-and-pinion power steering.
Stopping power is provided by Wilwood brakes, in the form of four-piston
calipers over ventilated and cross-drilled iron rotors, and the
mechanical upgrades are finished off with four brightly polished 18-inch
aluminum wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich g-Force T/A tires (245/45ZR18
front and 275/35ZR18 rear).

Inside the passenger compartment, occupants are treated to Carroll Shelby Scat Rally Series 1000 seats,
five-point Camlock belts, three-spoke aluminum woodgrain steering wheel
with tilt column, a full complement of gauges and full carpeting. An
Old Air Products air conditioning system blows ice-cold breezes, and a
powerful audio system with external amp and subwoofer ensure a sweet
background track to the V8's wild bellow.

Classic Recreations
met us with its beauty in Southern California, so we turned its striped
nose toward Los Angeles' classic Mulholland Highway for an evening run.

Driving Notes:

A
brief walk-around of the Mustang before the drive reveals an attention
to detail that will leave countless onlookers waving and asking
questions. The metallic blue paintwork is excellent and the
craftsmanship inside the engine bay, passenger cabin and trunk are
show-worthy. In particular, I really like the epoxy-coated sheetmetal and satin-polished aluminum components under the hood, the functional and easy-to-read Shelby gauge cluster and the lightweight HRE wheels, which provided a nice compromise between classic and modern design.

It's
hard not to be intimidated by the Shelby GT350CR. Its purpose-built
seats, polished metal shifter and competition harnesses have me looking
around for my helmet moments after buckling in (in truth, the harness
really needs a pass-through in the lower cushion to fit properly). The
mechanical feel of the manual lever and clutch mechanism drives the
racing message home. That said, the cockpit is comfortable and spacious.
Thin A-pillars provide excellent forward visibility, and the view out
back is clear, but sightlines over the shoulders into the rear quarters
are challenged by the blocked windows.

The
controls are 1960s-era simple, primarily consisting of a few polished
knobs that require a simple push-pull to operate and the windows
manually crank. The optional NOS system,
fitted to the test car, automatically engages if enabled by its red
dash-mounted switch (the tank is full, but sadly I will never have an
open opportunity to use it).

The 427-cubic-inch V8 drives and
sounds every bit as good as it looks. It idles with an angry demeanor
and then backs up its bark with a ferocious bite. There is plenty of
power in each of the lower gears to initiate immediate wheelspin,
leaving rear tire life completely up to the operator (the company quotes
a 0-60 sprint of 3.7 seconds, but based on available grip, I feel that
number is a bit optimistic). Kudos to Classic Recreations for putting an
open side pipe
on both the passenger and driver side of the car, as the two provide
stereophonic rumbles and backfires reverberating throughout the cabin.
While the climate control works perfectly, I would never roll up the
windows for fear of suppressing the exhaust noise - it's addictive.

Despite
the upgraded and modernized coil-over suspension with oversized sway
bars and race-tuned ride on sticky BF Goodrich rubber, this Mustang is
still more of a cruiser than a carver. Initial turn-in is on the slow
side and the coupe drives with a large demeanor that requires plenty of
anticipation in the corners. When compared to other ungainly muscle cars
of its era, its handling would certainly be considered impressive, but
today's multi-talented sports cars would run circles around this Pony in
the canyons.

Classic Recreations is making only 10 of the
legacy cars each year, and buyers are offered a grocery list of options
to customize each to their specifications. While it wouldn't be my first
choice in a canyon or race track, bring this muscle car to a drag
strip, crowded boulevard, summer beach or car show and it will simply
shine – we had to pull impressed gawkers away in order to leave a
Mulholland overlook.